The Best Foods to Optimize Hormone Balance in Pre, Peri, and Post-Menopause
Balancing hormones can be a tricky task, especially for those assigned female at birth who experience monthly hormonal cycles that impact their mood, thoughts, and physical well-being. Hormonal fluctuations can severely impact daily life, leading to feelings of frustration and even hopelessness. However, Tasha Skillin, co-owner of Rules and Rebellion and the host of the podcast, Boldly Becoming You, found a solution to this problem: balancing hormones with food according to her hormonal cycle. In this article, we'll explore how to use food to balance hormones and optimize our health during the different phases of the hormonal cycle, providing tips and insight into how to live a more balanced life.
“I started noticing patterns in my cycle that were disrupting my ability to function in my business and in our family,” said Tasha Skillin, co-owner of Rules and Rebellion and the host of the podcast, Boldly Becoming You. “When I was in my follicular and ovulatory phases, my energy was high, my creativity was flowing, I was confident. Then when my energy waned in the Luteal phase, I would caffeinate to maintain the energy. No one told me my body was doing exactly what it is supposed to do; slow down, rest, retreat, go inward.”
“All of my 20s and half of my 30s I was depleting my body daily of what it needed to function but had no idea. It infuriates me that we are all indoctrinated to think that the 24-hour circadian rhythm is THE rhythm to pay attention to. For menstruating people, the infradian rhythm is where we are missing massive health opportunities. Food is how our bodies function and propel our hormones which is how we do all the things we do each day.”
Each month, from the onset of menses to menopause, those of us assigned female at birth go through hormonal cycles. The phases of this cycle affect the way we feel, think, and function. Sometimes it can seem we’re at the mercy of our hormonal mood swings or like we have a totally different body from one day to the next. For some of us, these fluctuations can gravely impact our daily lives. Also, once we start perimenopause, the phase of life leading to menopause, the road becomes even bumpier. The hormone cycles we’ve been experiencing for the better part of four decades, are interrupted and our body gradually stops making the sex hormones we’ve been making since puberty.
A quick review of a typical menstrual cycle shows us that within the 28-ish day cycle, we have four phases. Starting with menses, when estrogen and progesterone levels drop and the thickened uterine lining sheds, it is very common to experience bloating, backaches and cramps, fatigue, as well as mood swings, and difficulty sleeping. In the next phase, estrogen slowly rises — preparing the egg for ovulation — and with it, we often feel more energy and experience a more elevated mood. When we ovulate, we experience a swift drop in estrogen followed by an increase in progesterone and estrogen as the uterine lining thickens to prepare the body for pregnancy if the egg that just dropped is fertilized by sperm. This phase is PMS (premenstrual syndrome); erratic moods, fatigue, brain fog, as well as bloating or weight gain, breast tenderness, and headaches. In PMS, our body craves sugary and starchy foods. Menopause is the natural process of ovaries changing the way they produce estrogen and means the end of menstruation and fertility. Often symptoms arise such as mood, skin, sleep, and weight changes, as well as the dreaded hot flashes.
Beyond symptom control with meds, what can we do to feel better during our monthly cycles and in that latter phase of life? Can we feed ourselves into feeling better?
Veteran dietician, Lana Scales, MS, RD, CNSC, ACSM, EP-C, says we can, AND she helps us understand the weight gain that so often comes with menopause.
Lana says that these CRAVINGS ARE REAL! Our bodies are already predisposed to bloating during the luteal and menstrual phases, AND progesterone causes us to crave salty and sweet foods, specifically carbohydrates. She says that we are getting signals from our body to indulge but we need to be very mindful about what foods we have around us. Eating processed foods will only make our symptoms worse, as they are full of hydrogenated oils and sugars, which cause wear and tear on our organs and lead to more inflammation.
“Whole foods, whole foods, whole foods,” Lana emphasizes. “These are clean foods that the body can process easily and will help reduce that bloating and inflammation.” She recommends anything with a high ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids- wild-caught salmon, walnuts, and berries are tops on her list. Other types of fatty acids (Omega 6’s) are found in spectacularly high ratios in processed foods and cause extreme inflammation.
Also, there is a scientific reason our bodies crave chocolate during some phases of our cycle! “Our bodies are craving antioxidants and dark chocolate is full of those. But watch the sugar content!” Lana is partial to Lily’s Chocolates because it has no sucrose or high fructose corn syrup. She says that “Our body produces antioxidants but unfortunately, based on how we're eating on this modern diet, our liver can’t keep up with the demand we’re placing on it.”
Berries are another great source of the antioxidants our bodies crave. They also contain Vitamin C and E. Make sure to select organic produce when recommended (follow the newly revised Dirty Dozen) and avoid fruit that is genetically modified (or “bioengineered”), as they likely will have lost much of their benefits and may now actually be harmful.
According to Lana, other supplements that support us and can have estrogen-like effects on the body are red clover tea, Black Cohosh, Evening Primrose, flax, and other omega 3 oils (fish oil, borage oil). Soy can be helpful if chosen selectively- she especially recommends fermented soy like miso. Like other produce, we need to be mindful to avoid soy GMO.
It’s important to note that some people are NOT good candidates for these estrogen-enhancing supplements and foods. Those with conditions that are triggered by estrogens, such as blood clotting disorders, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids, or with hormone-positive cancers or who are on estrogen blockers, should avoid them. Also, we know that enhancing estrogen can be lethal with cigarette smoking for the increased risk of blood clots, so smokers need to be aware. As with all new supplements and diets, it’s a good idea to have a conversation with a PCP or OBGYN before initiating changes.
If pregnancy is possible, in addition to eating clean, whole food, Lana reminds us that it’s critical to start taking 400mcg of Folic Acid (a B Vitamin) daily for several months before conception so that our levels are where they need to be to prevent Spina Bifida (a defect in the nervous system) in our fetuses. She also reports that infertility is related to food intolerances more often than we realize. “Check for Celiac Disease if experiencing infertility of unknown cause…the body in constant inflammation is not a good environment for a fetus and sometimes that can prevent pregnancy."
Perimenopause is another great time to evaluate our general health and consider any food allergies or sensitivities that might be making it harder for our bodies to function. When going through menopause, our bodies become less insulin sensitive, or more insulin-resistant, so evaluating the amounts of, and types of, carbohydrates we’re consuming is important. It’s critical to lean into whole foods and away from processed foods to avoid the unpleasant symptoms often associated with menopause.
Weight changes related to menopause can be mitigated by understanding the science of it. In menopause, the ovaries stop making the type of estrogen they’d been making for the duration of our reproductive years. As our body’s natural supply of the potent form of estrogen (Estradiol or E2) dwindles our ovaries put out only a secondary, weaker form of estrogen (Estrone or E1). This type of estrogen is metabolized and stored in our adipose cells. So, as the body seeks to keep as much estrogen as possible, it does so by storing up fat. So, if we’re supporting our body with clean, whole foods, and exercise, and, if safe in our particular health and family history, utilizing estrogen-enhancing supplements and foods, we can avoid the increased stored fat.
Tasha has found it not only satisfying but critical to her wellness to learn what her body needs in each menstrual phase. “Switching from eating carby, sugary conventional breakfast foods to eating phase-friendly vegetables first thing in the morning has DRASTICALLY reduced my cravings. And I never get hangry anymore. My appetite is much more proportional to my energy output and honestly, I feel better mentally because I am not constantly distracted by what I wish I could be eating.” Tasha has also found Magnesium to be helpful in maintaining mental and physical health.
When Tasha started doing research and first learned about cycle syncing when she stumbled upon an Instagram page of “The Menstruation Queen,” Cassandra Wilder, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and Educational speaker. “Adjusting my food, eliminating, and prioritizing nervous system regulation is the only hope I have to get all the parts and pieces to work together again in my body. That's why we became so diligent in honoring the phases with food, exercise, and energy output.” She also recommends following Les, a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, TRX Certified Instructor, and Level 1 Precision Nutrition Coach at Balanced Black Girl for the nitty gritty on how to sync the diet with the cycle.
“In terms of managing the phases and foods, it's taken months to really integrate the strategy, and there is a lot more ease in what I should be able to do on any given day. It makes a huge difference in my mental health to not have unrealistic expectations for myself based on what I know my body biologically needs. And there's added incentive to listen because I know by not listening to what my body is communicating; I will pay for it later.”
It's ALL ABOUT listening to our bodies and doing right by them where they are today.
Sarah Zimmerman is a freelance writer in Northern California and is working on her first novel. In past lives,, she has been a Physician Assistant in Women's Health and the owner of a vegan ice cream business. Sarah writes about marriage, sex, parenting, infertility, pregnancy loss, social justice, and women's mental and physical health, always with honesty and humor. She has written for Ravishly, Cafe Mom, Pregnant Chicken, and more and can be found at sarahzwriter.com and on Medium, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok at @sarahzwriter.